Endress+Hauser relies on innovation: one in 16 associates works in research

Last year Endress+Hauser filed more patents than ever before. The family-owned business shows how to be successful thanks to innovative products.

The automation and measurement instrumentation specialist Endress+Hauser employs over 700 people in research and development. They make sure that customers worldwide can make their processes safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly.

The patent department at the Endress+Hauser Group can’t complain about a lack of work: never before have researchers and developers of the Endress+Hauser Group filed as many inventions as last year. In 2014, a total of 337 submissions came from teams from different sites and locations, with 259 of these scrutinized and eventually filed for patents by Endress+Hauser.

The number of active industrial property rights has now topped 6,000 – yet another indication of the unbroken power of innovation of the globally operating group of companies. It was mainly in flow, level and analysis measurement technology in which the family-owned company has filed most new technical products.

“Innovative products giving our customers added value are our biggest strength, especially in times of economic uncertainty,” says Michael Ziesemer, deputy CEO of the Endress+Hauser Group.“An invention is no invention before it is successful in the market.” Only about 30 percent of all patents reach a level of economic relevance – often after many years.

But they are crucially important for the growth of the group of companies. “Protecting achievements at the earliest possible point in time is our life assurance,” says Michael Ziesemer.

Innovators’ meeting

One in 16 people working for the Endress+Hauser Group is in one way or the other employed in research and development and works every day to find solutions for problems – new and old – in measurement and automation engineering. An important role in Endress+Hauser’s innovation process is played by what is known as the customer parliaments: our experts meet customers from the various industrial sectors to find about their needs and requirements.

“Learning from the customer – that’s always been an important principle held high by Endress+Hauser,” says Michael Ziesemer. Our corporate culture which cultivates and promotes a spirit of research also involves honoring our inventors and innovators during the annual Innovators’ Meeting, held this year in Muttenz, Switzerland. All 344 people who were involved in patent applications in 2014 are invited. Valuable prizes and awards go to particularly economically-significant patents.